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Recently Unemployed? What You Can Do to Help
Yourself and Your Family
The new year brought with it harsh economic times, with many people finding themselves out of work, no source of income, and expensive alternatives or no health insurance at all for themselves and their families. According to Bloomberg, "the jobless rate in the U.S. probably jumped in January to the highest level in 16 years as slumping sales forced employers to slash staff." Unemployment climbed to 7.5 percent -- a record 4.78 million Americans. Businesses are downsizing and laying off workers each day. The total amount of job losses in 2008 was 2.6 million...the most since 1945. Being unemployed certainly is not a position anyone wishes to be in, but there are ways to keep things on the bright side and bring yourself closer to becoming employed again.
Keep a positive outlook This is the most important thing you can do. When you keep a positive outlook, you can actually think more clearly about the things you need to accomplish during this stressful time. Thinking negatively does nothing good for you or your family -- it brings you and everyone down, drowns you in dispair, and accomplishes nothing. Don't be afraid to ask for help from family and friends (this does not only include financial support -- you may need emotional support as well).
Make a list of things you need to do When you become unemployed, you may have trouble remembering all of the things you need to do. Make a list for yourself so you can see what you are doing every day to find another job. It's one thing to have everything inside your head, but when you see things down on paper it brings you back to reality.
Apply for unemployment insurance If you have been let go from your company, the first thing you should do is file an application for unemployment insurance. The Federal-State Unemployment Insurance Program provides unemployment benefits to eligible workers who are unemployed through no fault of their own (as determined under State law), and meet other eligibility requirments of State law. Many states make the application process available online and all it takes is a bit of your time. See helpful checklist below.
Change your spending habits In the beginning it may be difficult to change, but when you don't have a consistent salary coming into the family, you will have no choice. You should make a list of all your expenses and decide which are necessities (mortgage, rent, etc.) and which you could do without (magazine subscriptions, movie channels, etc.). When buying groceries, try and use coupons and buy items when they are on sale (you may want to try the store brand of an item, which is usually a cheaper option). Look for buy-one-get-one-free sales and stock up. Instead of spending money for entertainment (movies, restaurants, etc.), you may want to rent movies or watch movies you already have in your library. Make cost-effective meals and freeze leftovers for another time. If you need to supplement your wardrobe, stay away from brand name clothing and shop in department stores for deals. For expenses, see if there are lower plans you can switch to for your phone and cell phone, and be sure to shut off any electric item that is not in use to save on your electric bill. If you have any credit card debt, you may want to contact those companies and see if you could negotiate a lower monthly payment. Remember, this is only a temporary situation -- a positive thing you can do is make the best of a difficult situation.
Put together or update your resume Now's the time to locate your resume and bring it up-to-date with all the new skills you have accumulated over the previous years and job positions. Be sure to include an objective so prospective employers will know what type of job you're looking for. Include all your skills and certifications. See helpful checklist below.
Upload your resume to & search job sites There are many websites that allow you to upload your resume, and/or include your skills and employment history. There are way too many to list, but a few you might want to look at include:
See helpful checklists below.
Contact the alumni association at your college Many colleges and trade schools have an alumi association that provides career services -- don't hesitate to make use of their tools and resources. Contact them to let them know you are seeking employment and include your resume in an email attachment. If you don't yet have a resume, the alumni association may help you with developing your resume, a cover letter and help with providing available positions via job links.
Networking There is much to be said about networking -- it can bridge a huge gap that exists between you and a job opening that you are not aware of. Talk to everyone about possible job leads, including friends, family and neighbors. Do not underestimate the power of what word of mouth can do.
Look for temporary work Instead of concentrating on finding the perfect replacement job, you should think about securing a position with a temporary agency. It's much easier to be picky about finding the right job when you are working and bringing home a paycheck. Look for temporary work in the classifieds (online and print), temporary agencies, and through headhunters.
Take certification exams Keep your mind busy and expand your knowledge at the same time by gaining certifications in your chosen career. Acquire study guides and take practice exams before you take each test. Keep in mind that this is a positive step in finding your next job -- potential employers will like to see that you have taken the initiative to gain more skills in your field.
Health insurance When you lose your job, you lose the employee rate you were paying for group health insurance. Some employers may allow you to continue to pay the employee rate directly to COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) for a couple of months, so during this time you might want to secure other health insurance just in case you have still not found employment after your employee rate has ended. COBRA rates may be a shock to those of you who have never experienced them, since you will be required to not only pay your portion but any portion paid by your employer before you were let go, plus 2 percent for administrative costs. See helpful checklist below.
We hope this information helps you on the road to securing new employment soon. Keep a positive attitude and explore all possibilities. We wish you the best of luck!
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